Vitor Belfort: “I’m not doing anything illegal, so I’m not ashamed of anything.”

UFC middleweight Vitor Belfort has been at the center of the controversy surrounding Testosterone Replacement Therapy since admitting he was amongst the fighters on the organization’s roster currently subscribing to the polarizing practice. The criticism directed towards Belfort has been particularly fierce based on the Brazilian’s past association with performance enhancing drugs coupled with his status as a high-profile pugilist. However, fans shouldn’t expect Belfort to apologize anytime soon and certainly not before he battles Luke Rockhold this weekend at UFC on FX 8.

Belfort recently spoke to MMAFighting about his TRT use, offering assurance about the legitimacy of his need even if some, like Rockhold and UFC President Dana White, feel the treatment is a way of cheating.

“That’s what he thinks, but I’m not doing anything illegal. I think people have to have this choice, you know,” asked Belfort rhetorically of White’s past statements on the matter. “It’s no problem. I think they should release [the name] of everyone that’s on it. For me, it’s no problem. I’m not doing anything illegal, so I’m not ashamed of anything.”

The 36-year old Belfort was suspended for an abnormally high level of testosterone in 2006. The State of Nevada, where “The Phenom” was popped, has come forward to acknowledge Belfort was unlikely to be approved for a TRT exemption if ever booked to compete in Las Vegas based on the past transgression.